Christina Zavell

It is very easy to feel nervous and anxious about attending mediation.  Let’s face it you are here because there is a problem you cannot resolve without help!   Perhaps you each have an attorney adding to the expense and the intensity in many cases. It’s not the plan you scripted for yourself and your family. When […]

Recently I attended a Continuing Legal Education Class offered on the LGBTQ community and their needs. Afterwards, I was able to engage in a brief discussion with an attorney and continue a powerful dialogue about human connection. The essence of any connection is to meet people where THEY are in that time. Whether it be […]

There is so much good. What moves me as a mediator is in the gestures people make out of love for peace. Peace looks like their children’s happiness, it looks like mending fences, it looks people who give not because they have to but because they do the right thing when it hurts, when it […]

I often tell clients making a shift, particularly in a family system dynamic, is an investment in change.   It is not about making dramatic sweeping changes, as in “I’m going to run a marathon” but rather small meaningful changes that compound, think “I’m going to walk a little bit each day”.  The theory is a […]

As I approach the holidays, I’ve decided to try a different strategy to get my tasks done in a timely manner.  A long list can feel overwhelming and defeat me before I’ve started working on it, particularly during busy times.  So I decided to follow break it down into a few lists. I always start […]

What I suggest to people is to spend some time outlining the issues that are of great significance to them. Prioritize the issues and then make sure you have supporting documentation to support your position. If you are working with an attorney, he or she can help you prepare for your mediation. If not, click […]

Recently, I mediated a probate matter where a blended family could not agree on the distribution of the decedent’s estate.  All the parties felt they had been promised the same things. The turning point in the mediation was when we discussed that they all might be right!  “Suppose in his final moments, he wanted you […]

What are your expectations for the holidays?  Have you built in self-care and quiet?  The holidays are often a time of great stress, particularly as family systems change or are challenged.  Even under the best of circumstances, we can find ourselves overwhelmed with unmanageable expectations around what we have always thought the holidays SHOULD be […]

The statistics around families with special needs children and divorce tell a story of the unique stress they face. My own experience is one I’ve only been able to share recently. The lack of support, judgment and constant advocacy for services left me depleted, anxious, isolated and at times angry. I didn’t feel supported or […]

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